Magnetically attractive marking device and holding member for x-ray film holder

ABSTRACT

An W-ray apparatus including a film holder or cassette in basically conventional form with markers on the cover plate of the cassette for producing identifying images on the negative, the markers comprising strips of magnet material with identifying stencil letters cut therein. The magnets are held in place by strips of metal glued in selected locations to the cover plate. An alternative form of the marker has rubber of a contrasting color filling the letter spaces.

United States Patent [72] Inventor John L. Minasian [56] ReferencesCited 2319 Magnolia Blvd Burbank. Ca if- UNlTED STATES PATENTS 91506966,696 8/1910 Memll 250/67 P 749352 1,168,177 1/1916 De Yoanna 250/671221 #111968 1 735 883 11/1929 s 111 40/142 45 Patented July 6 1971 I2,018,175 10/1935 Kmght 250/67 3,407,507 10/1968 Brubaker.. 335/303 X3,518,428 6/1970 Ring 250/67 Primary Examiner-William F. Lindquist s41MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTIVE MARKING DEVICE AND HOLDING MEMBER FOR X-RAY fggfg i ABSTRACT: An W-ray apparatus including a film holder or raw Figscassette in basically conyentional form with markers on the [52] U.S. Cl250/67, cover plate of the cassette for producing identifying images on40/142, 250/68 the negative, the markers comprising strips of magnetmaterial [51] lnt.Cl ..G03b 17/24, with identifying stencil letters cuttherein. The magnets are 7 G03b 41/16 held in place by strips of metalglued in selected locations to [50] Field of Search 40/ 142 A- the coverplate. An alternative form of the marker has rubber of a contrastingcolor filling the letter spaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the marking ofradiographs, and specifically X-ray negatives, as an incident to theexposure of the X-ray film, with marking members placed on the filmcover and having areas of different perviousness to X-rays so as toproduce an identifying image on the negative. Such marking members arewell known in the trade and typically comprise a series of lead lettersin a frame that is positioned on the cover over a portion of the film tobe exposed, defining recognized abbreviations indicating the type ofshot that is to be taken. 1

In the past, such markers have been placed on the cover, which may be aso-called cassette or a film envelope, and either allowed to remainloose on the cover or held in place by a strip'of tape. This istime-consuming and makes the markers difficult to remove when the holderis to be reused, particularly if several markers have been placed indifferent locations on thecover. Accordingly, the X-ray operator eitheris forced to spend an excessive amount of time and manipulation inpreparing for shots, or simply omits the markings entirely in order toavoid the trouble, thus making subsequent identification of thenegatives more difficult and less precise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention isto reduce the marking procedure to an extremely simple and rapidoperation that may be performed by the operator in a very short periodof time, with a minimum of effort, and with very simple and inexpensivemarkers and holding members therefor. For this purpose, detachablemarking members are simply placed on holding members secured tothe filmholder and subsequently are held securely in place but are releasedquickly and easily when the marking members are pulled off the holder.More specifically, the invention resides in marking and holding membersof simple construction that coact magnetically to attach the markingmembers securely to the film holder in selected positions thereon, andpermit the marking members to be removed merely by lifting them off theholding members. In its most detailed and preferred form, the markingmember comprises a strip of magnet material having stenciltype letterscut therein, and the holding member comprises a strip of metallic shimmaterial glued to the cover, thereby making it practical to adaptexisting cassettes and envelopes quickly and easily for use with theinvention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview showing part of an X-ray table, and X-ray tube, and a film holderincorporating the novel features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the film holder with representativemarking members thereon.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIG. 2 within theare indicated at 3, one ofthe markers having been removed.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view takensubstantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 through the marker and thefilm holder.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the marker inFIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross section taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in the drawings for purposes ofillustration, the invention is embodied in a film holder 10 of thecassette type adapted to be placed on a tray 11 (FIG. 1) and slid underthe top 12 of an X-ray table 13 in line with an X-ray tube 14 spacedabove the table to direct X-rays through a patient thereon and exposethe X-ray'film 15 (FIG. 4) in the'holder, all in the manner well knownin the art. The standard cassette comprises a rectangular front plate l7of plastic or aluminum surrounded by a suitable frame 18 and having aback 19 (FIG. 4) fitted into the frame from the underside of thecassette to hold the film 15 against the underside, of the front plate.

With this arrangement, the film'lS is protected from premature exposureand is encased for convenient handling preparatory to, and after,insertion in the operative position under the patient on the table 13.It is well known, of course, that X-ray exposures are made with patientsin several different positions including the horizontal position, thevertical position with the patient standing, and also in inclinedpositions. In addition, X- ray exposures are taken of many differentparts of the body and from different sides, so it is important that theresulting negative be marked for ease of identification by thephysician.

to create an image on the negative that will identify the particularexposure that is to be made. Of course, the identifying markings areformed on otherwise unimportant areas of the film. Different materialshave different perviousness to X-rays, so it has been customary to makethe marker letters of relatively impervious material such as lead andthereby produce light images on the dark background of the negative. Theparticular markings used are generally standardized and a full supplymay include as many as approximately 50. Some representative markingsare LAT for lateral, FLX for flexion, RT for right," and ANT foranterior.Two or three such abbreviations may be appropriate for aparticular exposure to be taken.

With the forgoing in mind, it will be evident that-the operator will berequired to spend an appreciable amount of time if he must position andtape several markers on the film holder before an exposure and laterremove each tape and marker after making the exposure. Accordingly, atendency for less careful operators have been to leave film holdersunmarked, or to place markers loosely on the holders, with danger ofloss or movement to the wrong area.

In accordance with the present invention, the manipulation and timerequired for application and removal of markers is reduced to a minimumby constructing markers'20 and holders 21 therefor in a novel mannerthat makes it possible simply to place one or more markers in thedesired'locations on the film holder, move the holder into any desiredposition during use without loss or displacement of the markers, andthen lift the markers off the holder preparatory to storage or reuse.For these purposes, the holding member is attached to the film holder sothat the marking member can be placed over, or against, the holdingmember, and one of the members is composed, at least in part, of magnetmaterial while the other is composed of a material attracted by themagnet material. Thus, the magnetic coaction of the two members attachesthe markers securely, but releasably, to the film holder.

In the present instance, the markers 20 are shown as relatively thin,rectangular strips of ferrite ceramic magnet material having central,stencillike openings 22 (FIGS. 3 and 4) defining the markingabbreviations to be impressed upon the film 15. Such material is readilyavailable on the market, and may be cut easily to form the letters ofthe abbreviations. While different thicknesses may be used, it has beenfound that one-sixteenth of an inch is adequate and three-sixteenth ofan inch is preferred, the thickness determining the degree ofperviousness to X-ray and thus the contrast produced as compared toareas of the film exposed through the more pervious letter spaces.

In the alternative form shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the stencil spaces 22 inthe magnet strip 20 have been filled with a material 23 ofa colorcontrasting with the color of the magnet material for ease of readingand selection by the X-ray operator. The magnet material usually isblack or dark gray, so a white rubber filling material 23 produces thedesired contrast without significantly changing the relativeperviousness of the letter spaces.

The preferred form of the holding members 21 (of which four are shown indifferent representative shapes and locations) is a metallic stripmaterial such as very thin shim stock of a composition attracted by themagnets, the metallic strips being glued to the cover plate ll7 (seeFIG. 3) of the film holder. Of course, a reversal of magnet and metalstrips would not involve a departure from the invention which, in one ofits basic aspects, contemplates the provision of a film holder with amarker having a surface adapted to be pressed against and adhered to theholding member on, or embedded in, the cover. Moreover, a part of thecover plate or the frame 18 may be composed of suitable metallicmaterial, and positioned so as to hold a magnet in a selected positionoverlying part of the cover plate.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention providesquickly and easily attachable and detachable markers for X-ray filmholders, and makes the marking of X- ray negatives an extremely simpleoperation. Moreover, the magnet strips and metallic strips may besupplied in kit form for convenient conversion of existing film holdersfor the practice of the present invention.

l claim as my invention:

1. In an X-ray film holder having a nonmagnetic cover for overlying anX-ray film, the improvement comprising, a metal strip of holdingmaterial attached to a selected portion of said cover to overlie aportion of the film, and a marker overlying said strip and havingstencil-type spaces cut therein and defining letters, said markercomprising a strip of magnet material and said holding material beingcomposed of a metal magnetically attracted to said magnet materialwhereby the marker is releasably attached to said cover to produce anidentifying impression on a film exposed through the cover and saidspaces.

2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 in which said marker is ferriteceramic magnet material of substantially different perviousness toX-rays as compared to said spaces.

3. The improvement as defined in claim 1 in which said spaces are filledwith material having a color contrasting with the color of said magnetmaterial and having substantially different perviousness to X-rays.

4. In an X-ray film holder including a film cover, the improvcmentcomprising, a marking member in a preselected position overlying aportion of said cover and defining a preselected marking with areas ofdifferent perviousness to X- rays, and a holding member secured to saidcover and positioned thereon for engagement with said marking memberwhen the latter is in said preselected position whereby an image of saidmarking is reproduced on a film during exposure through said cover, oneof said members including a magnet and the other being composed ofmaterial attracted by said magnet whereby said marking member isremovably attached to said cover and securely held thereon in allpositions of said film holder.

5. The improvement as defined in claim 4 in which said marking member iscomposed, at least in part, of magnet material to form said magnet, andsaid holding member is composed, at least in part, of said materialattracted by said magnet.

6. The improvement as defined in claim 4 in which said marking member isa strip of magnet material having central areas cut out to produce saidareas of different perviousness.

7. The improvement as defined in claim 6 in which said cutout areasdefine stencil-type letters.

8. The improvement as defined in claim 7 in which said cutout areas arefilled with material of a color contrasting with the color of said stripfor ease of reading, and of substantially different perviousness, ascompared to said strip, for effectiveness of marking.

9. The improvement as defined in claim 5 in which said holding member isa strip of metallic shim stock glued to said cover.

10. In an X-ray film holder having a cover for X-ray film,

the improvement comprising, a marking member in a preselected positionoverlying a portion of said cover and having areas of differentperviousness to X-rays defining a selected marking, a holding membersecured in a predetermined position to said cover for engagement withsaid marking member when the latter is in said preselected position,opposed surfaces on said members, and said marking and holding membercoacting to produce magnetic forces acting between said surfaces toretain said marking member releasably on said holding member (in allpositions of said holder) and to permit release of said marking memberfrom said holding member in response to the lifting of the markingmember away from said cover.

1. In an X-ray film holder having a nonmagnetic cover for overlying anX-ray film, the improvement comprising, a metal strip of holdingmaterial attached to a selected portion of said cover to overlie aportion of the film, and a marker overlying said strip and havingstencil-type spaces cut therein and defining letters, said markercomprising a strip of magnet material and said holding material beingcomposed of a metal magnetically attracted to said magnet materialwhereby the marker is releasably attached to said cover to produce anidentifying impression on a film exposed through the cover and saidspaces.
 2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 in which said marker isferrite ceramic magnet material of substantially different perviousnessto X-rays as compared to said spaces.
 3. The improvement as defined inclaim 1 in which said spaces are filled with material having a colorcontrasting with the color of said magnet material and havingsubstantially different perviousness to X-rays.
 4. In an X-ray filmholder including a film cover, the improvement comprising, a markingmember in a preselected position overlying a portion of said cover anddefining a preselected marking with areas of different perviousness toX-rays, and a holding member secured to said cover and positionedthereon for engagement with said marking member when the latter is insaid preselected position whereby an image of said marking is reproducedon a film during exposure through saiD cover, one of said membersincluding a magnet and the other being composed of material attracted bysaid magnet whereby said marking member is removably attached to saidcover and securely held thereon in all positions of said film holder. 5.The improvement as defined in claim 4 in which said marking member iscomposed, at least in part, of magnet material to form said magnet, andsaid holding member is composed, at least in part, of said materialattracted by said magnet.
 6. The improvement as defined in claim 4 inwhich said marking member is a strip of magnet material having centralareas cut out to produce said areas of different perviousness.
 7. Theimprovement as defined in claim 6 in which said cutout areas definestencil-type letters.
 8. The improvement as defined in claim 7 in whichsaid cutout areas are filled with material of a color contrasting withthe color of said strip for ease of reading, and of substantiallydifferent perviousness, as compared to said strip, for effectiveness ofmarking.
 9. The improvement as defined in claim 5 in which said holdingmember is a strip of metallic shim stock glued to said cover.
 10. In anX-ray film holder having a cover for X-ray film, the improvementcomprising, a marking member in a preselected position overlying aportion of said cover and having areas of different perviousness toX-rays defining a selected marking, a holding member secured in apredetermined position to said cover for engagement with said markingmember when the latter is in said preselected position, opposed surfaceson said members, and said marking and holding member coacting to producemagnetic forces acting between said surfaces to retain said markingmember releasably on said holding member (in all positions of saidholder) and to permit release of said marking member from said holdingmember in response to the lifting of the marking member away from saidcover.